Ukitake is the captain of the 13 Division in the Gotei 13. Ukitake Juushirou is respected by many, especially by his subordinates, for his honesty, loyalty, and personal sense of justice. He is afflicted with an unknown illness. He has been close friends with 8th Division Squad Captain Kyouraku Shunsui since his youth, about 2000 years or more ago. The two frequently work together. It is implied that, since he has achieved the rank of captain, Ukitake must be a powerful fighter. He is considered to be one of the strongest captains besides Yamamoto, Kyouraku, Unohana, and Aizen. However, he is limited by his illness to fighting only for short periods of time; excessive action triggers fits of bloody coughing (another classic symptom of tuberculosis).
